Metal basket cover



w. w. VTURNBULL 2,288,597

METAL BASKET COVER July 7, 1942.

Filed April 5, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Ward. W. Turnbul/ A TTORNE Y July 7, 1942. w. w. TURNBULL 2,238,597

METAL BASKET COVER Filed April 5, 1939 Z Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR Werd W. Turn bull A TTORNE Y Patented July 7, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METAL BASKET COVER Werd W. Turnbull, Chattanooga, Tenn.

Application April 5, 1939, Serial No. 266,116

3 Claims.

My invention relates to basket covers for fruit packages of the bushel and half-bushel types and more particularly relates to a basket cover formed from sheet metal and stamped into shape in a single operation.

Heretofore, in the prior art, it has been the practice to make both the basket and the cover from stave or slat members of thin veneer material. In doing this, a proper lathe or cutter is employed to operate on either heated or cold logs, depending upon their character, to out veneer strips therefrom. These veneer strips may be treated and laid in criss-cross superposed radiated relation, secured together by nails, staples, or other appropriate means and bent to form side walls and bottom in the case of the basket and distorted to arched configuration to provide a cover. I

The many operations in treating the wood, cutting it to proper shape and form and assembling it, involves a great amount of labor, so that it has become unprofitable to make basket covers from Wood because of the high labor cost.

The covers of wood were formed by coiling a strip to hooped configuration, ends of the strip together to maintain that configuration, laying a series of strips or slats in radiated superposed relation to form a web, then attaching the web, after distorting it to arched configuration, to the cover hoop or band. In order to do this, it was necessary to staple each free end of the web to the band, requiring a series of operations. The overlapping of the ends of the hoop or band gave it an uneven configuration which was devoid of precision and accuracy and which never correctly conformed to the upper edge of the basket. The roughness of the web and the cover band require the use of expensive cover interliners to protect the fruit from their rough edges and irregularities. It was also necessary to either form one of the strips longer than the other or to provide additional handle slats for the cover which could extend through the wire handles of the basket.

Additionally, there was a great deal of waste in the manufacture of such covers from veneer material due to defects and knotholes in the material which required it to be dispensed with. Furthermore, the covers were heavy, and the staples or securing means never clinched properly and often permitted the slats to loosen and come apart.

Applicant, with a knowledge of all these defects in and objections to the prior art, has for securing the i an object of his invention the provision of a metallic cover for fruit containers which will be accurately made, conform exactly to the baskets to which it is attached, and which will be both economical to make and be of light weight.

Applicant has, as another object of his invention, the provision of a cover of thin metallic material with reinforced ribs pressed out therefrom to resist bending and distortion and which will provide a strong stiff cover.

Applicant has, as a further object of his invention, the provision of a metallic cover which may be formed in a single operation by stamp- Applicant has, as another object of his invention, the elimination of a handle slat and the substitution therefor of an extended portion on a metallic cover.

Applicant has, as a further object of his invention, the provision of a cleat or securing means for the prevention of the removal of such cover.

Applicant has, as a still further object ofhis invention, the provision of a metallic cover having a beveled rim which will tend to urge the fruit in the basket to which it is applied towards the center and reduce the tendency of bruising and cutting of the fruit.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appearfromthe following specification and accompanying drawings, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the annexed claims:

In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of one form of my improved basket cover. Figure 2 is an elevation partly in section of the same cover. Figure 3 is a detail of a portion of the cover of Figure 1 in section taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a fragmental plan view of another form of my improved cover showing my improved molding means. Figure 5 is a fragmental side elevation of the said cover and holding means. Figure 6 is a detail of the holding clip used to secure my improved cover. Figure 7 is a plan view of another form of my improved cover. Figure 8 is a side elevation in section of the cover disclosed in Figure 7. Figure 9 is a detailed sectional view of my improved cover taken along the line 99 of Figure 7.

Referring to the drawings in detail, I designates generally a metallic cover for fruit containers, having reinforcing ribs 33 pressed out therein and having flat portions 22 joining such ribs. Struck out from the body of the cover I on opposite sides thereof are extensions 44 having up-turned ends 5 which extensions are adapted to pass through wire handles 66 on a basket and may be bent back over such wire handles to prevent the extensions from being removed therefrom.

Extending about the outer circumference of the cover 2 is a rim 8 having a curled outer lip 9 for engagement with the upper edge of a basket 1.

These covers may be stamped out in a single operation forming the ribs 3-3 the rim 8 and the turned out portions 5 and 9.

The ribs 3 lend great strength to the cover and prevent it from buckling when force is applied thereto. The ribs being pressed upwardlyfrorn slanting sides terminate in an apex.

The cover may be modified with the extensions widened and slotted as in Figure 4 at |9H. Openings may be formed in the cover as at [2 for the reception of a bowed clip having arms 13 bent over ends l4 which are joined through distorted ends 16- and elbows 15. The ends l4 pass through the openings 12 andseat therein. The arms pass under the looped handle 6 and under the edge of the handle l0 thus locking the clip in position and preventing the removal of the wire handles 6 from-slot I I.

In some cases, it may beundesirable to strike out the extensions 4 on either side of the cover I, thus destroying the continuity of the rim 8'and reducing its strength.

In those cases, it may be desirable to form the cover from anirregularly shaped blank having extended portions on either end thereof as at 2| so that upon formation of the ribs 3" in Figure 7 and adjoining portions 2 and rim 8, the rim 8' will be continuous and a slot 22 may. be provided in the extending portions 2| for the reception of the handles. This increases the strength of the cover and preserves continuity of the rim. In those cases, the wire handle 6' may pass through the body of the cover and be retained in such slot. In those cases, the wire handle is enclosed within the rim 8'.

Openings ll--I1' may also be made in the cover in such a way that a four point fastening may be employed for these covers as well as the wooden cover. These openings are, however, substantially 90 degrees relative to the handle slots.

In applying the cover of Figures 1 and 2, which is a crown cover, it will be seated upon the overflowing cap of fruit in a basket and pressed down upon it. As it is pressed down upon it, the extension 4 is passed through one of the wire handles and then pressure is applied to the opposite side of the cover and the wire-handle sprung outwardly until the extension 4 may be pressed into it. If it is desired to lock the cover in position, the extensions 4 may be bent over the wire handle 6 as already indicated.

In applying the covers shown in Figures 4, 5, 7, 8, the cover is simply pressed upon the overflowing cap of fruit, the slots I |22' are brought into registration with the wire handles 66 and pressed downwardly causing the handles to pass through such slots.

After this, the Wire clip disclosed in Figure 6 may be passed through the handles and attached by inserting the ends l4-|4 into the openings l2--l2' and springing the end l6 outwardly and over the edge of the extensions H] or 2|.

The clip will then lie between the slot and the wire handle and prevent its removal.

To remove the cover of Figures 1 and 2, it is simply necessary to spring one of the handles 6 outwardly, remove the handle upwardly and remove the other extension 4 from the wire handle 6.

Or to remove the cover of Figures 4 and 5, it is simply necessary to spring the end l6 of the clip in Figure 6 outwardly over the edge of extension l0 and then remove the ends I4I4 from the openings 12, after which the extensions Ill may be moved upwardly out of contact with the handles 6'.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A basket cover of the character described comprising a body of relatively thin metallic material, radial ribs pressed out from the body, a rim surrounding the body and secured to its free edge, extensions struck out from said rim, slots in said extensions for the reception of the wire handles of a basket, and clips for interposition between said handles and said slots to retain the cover in position.

2. A basket cover of the character described comprising a body of relatively thin metallic material, openings formed in said body, a rim surrounding said body and secured to its free edge, extensions struck out from said rim adjacent said openings, slots in said extensions for the reception of the handles of a basket, clips for interposition between said handles and slots, having arms passing across said slots, fingers for seating in said openings and an end for passing over and locking on said extensions.

3. A basket cover of the character described comprising a body of thin metallic material, extensions on opposite sides of said body, a rim extending around said body and secured to the outer free edge, means on said extensions for engagement with the handles of a basket to prevent displacement of the cover, and means in said body for the reception of a fastener to prevent the disengagement of the handles from the eX- tensions.

WERD W. TURNBULL. 

